Multiple signal-box for fire and district telegraphs



FiTg 1- (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. 0. WILSON.

MULTIPLE SIGNAL BOX FOR FIRE AND DISTRIOTiTELEGRAPHS.

No. 284,527. Patented Sept. 4, 1883.

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(No Model.) '2 sneetsfisneeta.

J. 0. WILSON. MULTIPLE SIGNALVBOX FOR FIRE ANDDISTRIOT TELEGRAPfiS No. 284,527. Patented Sept. 4,1883.

NITED E PATENT OFFIcE.

- l Jo n 0. WILSON, on BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 284,527, dated September 4, 1883,

Application filed April 23,1883. (No model.)

' .To all whom; it may concern): L

Beit known that I,'JOHN o. WiLsON, of Boston, countyof Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Mul-' tiple SignahBoxes, of which the 'followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like'parts.

My invention relates to a multiple signalbox, such as employed for district-telegraph systems, of that class in which a large number of different signals may be sent from a single box.

The invention means to-place any desired one of the saiddevices in position to control the circuit and send its signal, it being operated by the samemotorthat actuates the break-wheel for indicating the number of the box. The said signal- "ing devices are shown as notched metallic surfaces arranged around the periphery of a drum adapted to rotate on a shaft at right angles to the shaft of the break-wheel, which latter'shaft is provided witha pen or contact-spring that "passes over one of thesaid surfaces determined vbythe position 'of the drum, the said pen being so arranged with. relation to the main break-wheel that it reaches the signaling-surface on the drum before or after the main break-wheel has sent its signal and placed the circuit under the control of the said pen.

The drum having the different circuit-controlling surfaces is provided with a hand or pointer, by which it may be rotated to bring the desired surface in proper position to govern the circuit, the said pointer being moved by the operator over a dial preferably having large contrastingcharacters for indicating the different signals, it being sometimes desirable consists, mainly, in the com-, bination, with the usual break-wheel for sending a signal that indicates the number of the box or station from which the signal is sent, of a novel multiple signal device consisting of a drum having concave sides composed of a MUMULTIPLE SIGNAL-BOX FOR: FIRE AND DISTRICTTELEGQAPHSV embodying this invention, the front plateof the box and dial thereon being removed to,

show the mechanism inside; Fig. 2, a side elevationther'eof; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the dial; Fig. 4, a diagramshowing the circuit; and Fig. 5 is a detail to be referred to.

' The signal-box contains a break-wheel, a, mounted on a shaft, 12, adapted to be rotated by a clock-work or motor, 0, in the usual man ner, the main circuit being continued from the periphery of the said wheel a to the pen or contact-spring d, except when in the rotation from what box or station the signal was reoeived. Succeeding the notches for producing "this signal there is a long notch, 2, upon the periphery of the wheel a, thus leaving the main circuit open between the. wheel a and pen d for an interval of time, during which another signal is to be sent. This signal is produced by a contactspring or pen, 6, carried by the shaft b of the break-wheel a, and

insulated therefrom, but connected with a lated from the remainder of the box mechanism during the greater part of itsrotation.

-When'the notch 2 of the break-wheel a arrives at the contact-spring d in the revolution of said wheel, the spring 6 arrives at one of the signaling-surfaces 9, arranged about the periphery of a drum, mounted to rotate On-a shaft, 9, at right angles to the shaft b, the contact-surfaces 1 being concave, as shown in Fig. 2, and being notched, so that the spring 6 in its revolution with the shaft b will wipe trical connection therewith, except at the portions that are cut away or. remove-d to form the notches. The said notches are of differover one of the said surfacesg, making elecantlengths andarrangement at each of the surfaces 9, so that each'one will produce a 5 number of different signals may be produced by a comparatively small device or drum, making the apparatus much more compact than when it is attempted to make the said signaling devices on a flat surface, especially if they radiate from a common center or point.

It will be seen that by rotating the drum 9,

' .with its shaft 9 any desired one of the surfaces 9 may be brought into proper position to cooperate with the spring 6, and'the signal produced by the said surfaces may represent any of the usual signals that are desirable for dis trict or police systemsone, for instance, representing the word Fire, another a call for men, another a call for an ambulance, and so on. This shaft is provided with a pointer, h, (shown in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines, Fig. 1,) the said pointer co-operating with a suitable dial, D, having spaces corresponding in position with the different surfaces 9, and distinguished by different characters, (shown in this instance as numerals) although it, is obvious that instead of these the signal, or an abbreviation therefor, may be used at each of the spaces. The shaft is also provided with suitable friction devices, (shown as a notched disk, i,) co-operating with a yielding finger, i, (see Fig. 5,) which causes it to be stopped and held with one of the surfaces 9 in the path -of the spring 6. The shaft may be provided with a ratchet, 2' and pawl i limiting its movement to onedirection.

When the box is in operation, the main line L, entering at the binding post 10, passes through the coils of the electro-magnet M of a signal, S, and is connected with the entire metallic mechanism of the box, including the wheel a and the drum with its notched surfaces g, and the springs cl and f are connected by wires 12 and 13 with the binding-post 14 I and line leading out or away from the said station toward the next box or station on the line. Thus, while the shaft b is rotating, the

circuit is, during a portion of the time, completed from the disk at to the spring d, permitting the current to pass, except when the notches of the said disk pass under the said spring, when the circuit is broken. At the time, however, when the long notch 2 of the disk a is passing under the spring d, the spring e is passing over one of the surfaces 9, and thus opening and closing the circuit in accordance with the shape of the notches of the said surface, and thus producing a signal difiering from the short breaks produced by the notches of the wheel a. All the said signals may be received and recorded upon a suitable instrument-such, for instance, as a self-starting register, (indicated at B, Fig. 4..) After the'spring c has passed the surface the circuit remains closed between the spring d and disk A, the

v periphery of which is unnotched beyond the ent invention.

notch 2, thus affording an opportunity for a current sent fromthemain officetopass through the magnet M, in order to operate the signal S. The armature of the said magnet M is mounted on a reed adapted to yibrate at a certain rate, and provided with a bell-hammer to strike thebell when the vibrations havereached sufficient amplitude. A single impulse of the magnet M will not, however, move the armature sufficiently to cause the bell to be struck, so that it will remain silent while the signals produced by the disk a and surface 9 are being sent.

The central office'(see Fig. 4.) is provided with a transmitting apparatus, T, of any usualconstruction, for sending avibrating or intermittent current, its variations being in harmony with the vibrations of the reed carry ing the armature of the magnet M. The said transmitter is thrown into the main line L by r a key, K, which also closes the local circuit Z of the magnets of the transmitter T, which is of well-known form and requires no description, as of itself it forms no part of the pres- Thus after asignal is received at the main or central station the operator at the said station immediately depresses the key K, causing a pulsatory current to be transmitted,'which will set the armature of the magnet M in vibration, thus notifying the sender at the box that the signal has been received. These parts for giving a return-signal or answer are not claimed in the present application, but will form the subject of another application for Letters Patent.

The crank or handle m, by which the box is set in operation, is mounted on a shaft, m, which is partly rotated to wind the actuatingspring of motorc, by which the shaft 12 is Totated. When the said shaft m is released, the spring turns it back and actuates the motor in the usual manner, the movement of the sa1d crank and shaft m being limited by suitable stops, and thus always remaining in the same position when the box is at rest.

I claim- 1. The break-wheel and its actuating-motor, and the contact-spring revolved by the said motor, combined with the multiple slgnal drum mounted on an axis substantially at right angles to that of the said contact-spring, and provided with a series of signaling-surfaces, each adapted to co-operate with the said contact-spring, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The break-wheel and contact-spring cooperating therewith, and adapted to leave the circuit open between them for an interval of time during its rotation, combined with the series of signaling-surfaces, any one of which is adapted to control the circuit and transmit one of a series of definite signals while the circuit is open at, the brealcwheel, substantially as described. 7

3. The actuating-motor and a contact-spring revolved thereby, combined with the multiple gnal drum mounted on an axis substantially at right angles to that of the said spring; and provided with a series of concave signalinga surfaces and means to move the said drum, whereby any desired one of the said surfaces maybe placed in the path of the said contactspringi'to :co-opera'te therewith, substantially asdescribed. a a

a 4. The actuating-motor and'a contact-spring movedthereby, combined with the multiple signal drum mounted on an axis substantially at right angles to that of the said spring, and provided with a series of concave signaling surfaces, and a pointer and dial cooperating JOHN CORNELIUS WILSON.

Witnesses: Jos. P; LWERMORE, W. H. SIGSTON. 

